Olivia Rodrigo is giving fans another chance to hear one of the most talked-about outtakes from her new album, You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love. Her previously unreleased song “Serena Joy” is receiving a limited physical release on August 21, with the track set to arrive on streaming platforms three days later.
Only 500 copies of the CD single were made available exclusively at Analog Record Shop in Orange County, California. Proceeds from the release will support Olivia Rodrigo’s upcoming Daisy Chain Fields charity festival.
The song was first revealed on June 12, when Olivia Rodrigo’s co-producer Jim-E Stack shared behind-the-scenes material from the making of You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love. A prototype tracklist shown in the post included “Serena Joy” as the album’s 12th track, positioned after “expectations.”
Fans quickly connected the title to Serena Joy Waterford, the controversial character from Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. Rodrigo later addressed the song during a June 26 interview with eTalk, explaining that she “really” loved the track but ultimately removed it because it did not fit the album’s chronological storyline.
The third studio album, released June 12, follows a deliberate narrative structure tracing a relationship from its beginning through its collapse. Olivia Rodrigo said “Serena Joy” did not naturally fit that progression, although she hinted that the song could eventually find a home elsewhere. That opportunity has now arrived. Produced by longtime collaborator Dan Nigro, “Serena Joy” has already generated attention around its pointed lyrics, with excerpts referencing political causes, wealth and inequality.
Its release comes just days before Olivia Rodrigo takes the stage for Daisy Chain Fields on August 29 at Great Park in Irvine, California. The inaugural festival, founded by Rodrigo and inspired by Lilith Fair, features an all-women or women-fronted lineup including Chappell Roan, Doechii, Mitski, Bikini Kill, Garbage, the Breeders and KATSEYE, alongside special guests Stevie Nicks, Sarah McLachlan and Karen O.
All artists are performing for free, with 100% of net proceeds supporting organizations focused on women’s and girls’ rights, reproductive health and related causes. The event sold out in roughly 30 minutes, making the exclusive “Serena Joy” CD an especially timely collectible for fans attending or supporting the festival.
For fans who miss the 500-copy physical release, the wait will be short: “Serena Joy” is scheduled to hit streaming services on August 24.
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